Expansion of Indiana's School Vouchers Could Spur Further Catholic School Growth

Will the proposed changes to Indiana’s voucher program prompt the expansion of educational options for at-risk children? Given the gap between the per-pupil funding provided to Indiana charter schools and the maximum scholarship amount available to K-8 children through the private school voucher, it may be difficult to encourage growth in the private school sector, according to John Schoenig, director of the Program for K-12 Educational Access at the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). Schoenig, who analyzes the effects of school choice laws around the country, pointed out that the proposed increase in the K-8 voucher amount could provide incentives for both charter school and private school growth.

Schoenig was interviewed in a story aired Feb. 28 on National Public Radio stations in Indiana as part of the StateImpact/NPR initiative. The story pointed out that the vouchers have helped fill 9,100 open seats in private schools, but it is unclear whether the vouchers would generate so much student demand that new schools would have to be built. Estimates indicated that private schools in the state had 20,000-24,000 seats waiting to be filled as of 2010. Legislators in the Indiana House have voted to increase the value of vouchers for K-8 students. The legislation awaits review by the Indiana Senate.